VOSA issuing Driver CPC fixed penalties

By Categories: NewsPublished On: Monday 15 July 2013

driverwithcardLast year, VOSA issued 45 graduated fixed penalties and undertook three successful prosecutions of drivers who were found to have no evidence of Driver CPC qualification or exemption. The current graduated fixed penalty for a DCPC offence is £30.

VOSA issued 41 of those roadside penalties to truck drivers, with the remaining four to bus and coach drivers. Thirty-eight of the fined drivers were British and classed as ‘new’ drivers, who had passed their vocational driving tests following the inception of the Driver CPC, but who had failed to gain the qualification by passing Modules Two and Four of the test.

In cases that it obviously regarded as more serious, VOSA prosecuted three drivers for Driver CPC offences. These included a driver from Bristol who was fined £173, a driver in Wales who was fined £356 and a driver in London who was fined £516. The employer of the Bristol driver was fined £989. V

OSA has also confirmed that Driver CPC-related graduated fixed penalties will result in 25 points being added to the operator’s compliance risk score (OCRS). If a driver is prosecuted, the points increase to 50. In incidents where the operator is prosecuted, they will receive 100 points plus an additional 500 points and a red-rated OCRS.

Employers should be aware that recently-qualified vocational drivers will need to hold a Driver CPC before they can drive commercially. That qualification can only be acquired by passing modules two and four of the relevant driving test, after which the Driver CPC card will be issued. Also, newly-qualified drivers can only commence periodic training when they are in possession of a Driver CPC card.